Selling on St. John

An awe-inspiring cliff-side villa with sunset views of the picturesque Caribbean Sea.

Yes, fancy lines do sell fancy homes, according to a 2014 study done by Redfin and Grammarly. And it’s not just over-the-top buzzwords that’ll do the trick, the study found that 43.4% of the people surveyed would be less likely to view a home with improper grammar and misspelled words. The data further shows that real estate priced over $1M tends to sell 3 days sooner and 10% more often at the listed price if the listing is written in full sentences and without grammatical error.

“When buyers are browsing homes for sale, everything about the listing has an impact on their experience,” said Seattle Redfin agent Chad Dierickx. “Photos grab your attention, but the listing description fills in the gaps by helping a buyer understand what photos can’t.” (source)

It’s no wonder then that you’ll typically find high-end listings bloated with buzzwords with a WSJ level of editing while lesser priced listings are riddled with misspelled words, faux pas phrases, an unintelligible industry abbreviations.

The fact of the matter is that words sell.

“You can get a sense of what the transaction will be like based on the listing description. If it’s exceptionally sloppy, then it’s a warning sign of a potentially sloppy transaction,” stated Mickey Conlon, associate real-estate broker with Core in New York. (source)

St. John, VI, is considered by many to be one of the most desirable Caribbean islands for buying real estate. That said, it should comes as no surprise to learn that the market here is price comparable to the most expensive in the States, with the average sold price on St. John being $1.93M. This being a buyer's market, it is wise to keep in mind the old real estate adage about the first month on the market: "The first 30 days' activity of your house being on the market is always the best activity you're going to see," (source). In those 30 days, you'll want to attract as many potential buyers as possible, and that means pricing right. To find that golden price range, ask your agent for the sales price of at least three similar homes that have recently sold in your area, or to receive a free personalized property valuation, contact us today.